


Daddy's Little Princess

by tufano79



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Erotica, F/M, Family, Future-take, One-Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-09
Updated: 2014-06-09
Packaged: 2018-02-04 01:17:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1761617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tufano79/pseuds/tufano79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been six years since the birth of Elizabeth Renee Cullen. Edward is working hard as an attorney and Bella, his Little One, is a famous author. This is an future-take from the world of Mafia Princess...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Daddy's Little Princess

**Author's Note:**

> [](http://s920.photobucket.com/user/jthlavacs/media/DLP-tufano_zps86652557.jpg.html)

**Penname: Tufano79**

**Title: Daddy’s Little Princess: A Mafia Princess Future-Take**

**Fandom: Twilight**

**Pairing: Edward and Bella Cullen**

**Rating: MA/NC-17**

**Beta: Bridget Derbyshire (Birdee18)**

**Banner Maker: Chandrakanta**

**Disclaimer:** **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.  The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is intended.**

**All of this isn’t mine. Stephenie Meyer created this characters, but I like to play with them and make them do pervy things, like swear and have sex. (Fade to black? Psssh! Not with me, kids!**

**Warnings: Strong Language, Explicit Sex, Badass former Mobward, Snarky Mafia Princess and an Adorable Kid…Edward’s little princess.**

****_Daddy’s Little Princess  
A Mafia Princess Future-Take  
Contribution for the Compilation for Fandom Against Juvenile Diabetes_

**EPOV**

**Six Years Since the Birth of Elizabeth Renee Cullen**

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” squealed my favorite voice. The pounding of her little feet alerted me to her arrival. I was barely out of my car when my perfect angel threw herself into my arms. “Daddy! I missed you!” she said, kissing my cheek.

“Bethy,” I breathed, hugging my baby girl. “I was only gone for a few hours.”

“I know, but summer is soooooooooooooo boring when you’re at work,” Bethy said, giving me a wicked smirk. “When are we going to Italy with Papa?”

“Two weeks, Princess,” I said, adjusting her on my hip. “Where’s your mom?”

“She’s working on her climax,” Bethy answered. My eyes bugged out slightly, but then I realized that Bethy was probably describing Bella’s book. She was the queen of erotica with a suspenseful twist. Our story, _Il Principessa del Mafioso_ , earned Bella nearly five million dollars and a movie deal. She was now working on the third novel in a trilogy based on the Irish Mafia.

“Was Mommy writing all day?” I asked as I carried my daughter into the house and set her on her feet once inside.

“No. Auntie Ro and Uncle Emmy came over with the new baby this morning,” Bethy smiled, skipping to the fridge. She pulled down a picture that was new. Bethy was sitting on my recliner, holding a tiny pink bundle, wrapped in a blue blanket. Rose was smiling softly and Bella was caressing Bethy’s hair. I assume that Emmett was the one taking the picture. Bethy did not look amused.

“What’s the baby’s name?” I asked, crouching down to her level while I loosened my tie.

“Gavin,” she said. “Gavin Charles.” Bethy scrunched up her nose. “He was smelly, Daddy. He pooped all over his butt. It was gross.”

“I hate to break it to ya, Princess, when you were his size, you did the same,” I snickered, tugging on Bethy’s reddish brown pigtails.

“Did not!” she said, putting the picture back on the fridge.

“Did so, baby,” Bella laughed. “It was my one request, _bambina,_ and you didn’t do it. All of those cute outfits, ruined by poop.” My wife of seven years glided over to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Hi, _amore_. Good day at the office?”

“Better now that I’m home,” I said, kissing her soft lips. “Hmmm, another one.” Bella giggled, nipping at my mouth before dancing out of my arms.

“Daddy, can we play on the swing set?” Bethy asked, bouncing on her toes. “Mommy needs to make dinner. We’re having fish tonight!”

“Let me change, Princess,” I said, kissing Bethy’s head and darting up to my bedroom. My life couldn’t be more perfect. I had a beautiful, intelligent, and amazing wife. My daughter was brilliant, sweet, and so adorable. I was challenged by new job in the U.S. Attorney’s office, working with Phil Dwyer, the man who put away Aro Volturi after what he did to my Little One, my Bella. I was quickly becoming one of the high flyers in the office. On my first case I acted as Phil’s assistant, but he had to go in for emergency surgery just prior to going to trial. His appendix was about to burst. I stepped in and got the maximum sentence for the case. My boss, a prickly fellow named Ian, quickly promoted me. I was on par, working similar cases as Phil, but with my own assistant.

“Daddy! Come on! We’ve got dragons to slay!” Bethy laughed.

“Hold your horses, Princess. I’ve got to put on my armor,” I snorted, changing out of my Armani suit and into a pair of jeans and polo shirt. I frowned when hung up my suit next to the two suits that Uncle Cenzo made for me. Shortly after Bethy was born, Uncle Cenzo died in his sleep from a stroke. Bella was heartbroken and so was I. Uncle Cenzo’s shop was closed and it now stood empty. Shaking it off, I went downstairs. “Meet me outside, Bethy. I’ve got to talk to your mom.”

“Kay. Love you, Daddy,” she said, hugging my legs before skipping out into the backyard.

“Love you more, Princess,” I called as she shut the door. Turning back to Bella, I wrapped my arms around her slender waist. I found her earlobe, nibbling on the soft skin. My wife melted against my body. “Love you most, Mrs. Cullen.”

“As I love you, counselor,” she purred, turning around. “I’ll never get tired of seeing you in a suit. Hmmm, so sexy.” She threaded her hands into my hair, kissing my lips soundly. Bending down, I picked her up and placed her on the counter so I could stand between her legs and feel her heat. I was insatiable for my wife. Our sex life was not boring by any stretch of the imagination, and every day our love grew. “We better stop. I don’t want you going out there to slay dragons with a very hard sword that might scare our only child.”

“Good point,” I chuckled, keeping her on the counter. “So, I’ve got good news and bad news.”

“Bad news first,” Bella frowned.

“Bad news is that I won’t be flying out to Italy with you and Bethy,” I explained.

“Edward! That’s bullshit! You’ve been pulling insane hours. This is the first time that you’ve been home before eight in nearly a month!” Bella growled.

“I know, Little One,” I said, picking up wife’s hand and kissing her palm. “The case I’m working on is currently with the jury. We’re just waiting for the verdict. Then, I’ve got another one on the burner. Carole and Barb are currently working on the research for it, but I’ve got a pretrial hearing the day that we’re supposed to leave,” I said. Bella scowled. “But, the good news is that I leave a few hours after you and I’m with you guys for the entire two weeks we’re in Sorrento.”

“What? Really?” Bella asked, her chocolate eyes wide with excitement.

“Phil and Ian have complimented me on my hard work and said that I deserve a vacation,” I murmured, taking Bella’s face in my hands. “I’m not due back until after the Fourth of July.”

Bella squealed, wrapping her arms and legs around my body. She kissed any available skin before crashing her mouth against mine. “Two weeks. We’re going to be together for two whole weeks!”

“Along with our princess, your dad, Sue, Emmett, and Rose,” I smirked.

“Thank God we have our own villa,” Bella giggled.

“Daddy!” shouted Bethy.

“Go, your daughter needs you to slay some dragons,” Bella said, kissing my nose. “Love you, _amore_.” I kissed her once more before helping her off the counter. I went outside, running to get my daughter. Flipping her, she laughed happily as I pretended to be her knight in shining armor, saving her from an evil dragon and wretched monsters. After an hour, Bella came out with our dinner. We ate outside. Bethy was attached to my side, eating her meal from my lap. I didn’t care; I loved my baby girl and would gladly accept her cuddles.

Like Bella, Bethy’s touch didn’t send me into a panic. Then again, it was because I knew her. Raised her. Bethy knew of my fear, and she was quite protective of me. Whenever we met her teachers or whatever, Bethy would stand in front of me, like a little shield. It had been a long time since I’d had a touch-induced panic attack, but the unknown still freaked me out.

“Daddy, can you read me a story?” Bethy asked after dinner.

“Why don’t you go upstairs and go take a bath. I’ll be up in a little bit,” I said, kissing her head. She nodded, bouncing off my lap. Bella and I worked on doing the dishes. Rather, I did the dishes while Bella told me about her additions to her novel. She also told me about Emmett and Rose’s visit with baby Gavin. Emmett and Rose never got married but were happily living together in Bella’s childhood home.

Once the dishes were done, I went upstairs with my wife to check on my baby girl. She was playing in her room with her dolls. When she saw us in her doorway, her face lit up, displaying her two missing teeth. Every night, we had a ritual of reading a story to our girl. It was the ultimate in family bonding time. Bella would choose a book while I would read it, trying to do the different voices. I thought I was awful but both of my girls listened with rapt attention as I tried my hand at acting. That’s why I was always home at eight when I could honestly sleep in my office with the amount of work I had to do. Little did both of them know that when they were asleep, I was clacking away on my laptop, trying to spin my cases and win them for the government.

After Bethy was asleep, Bella and I decided to go for a swim. She was wearing one of her sexy bikinis while I was in a pair of blue floral board shorts. _Bethy loved them on me_. The things I did for my offspring. Bella flipped her hair up before diving into the water and swimming the length of the pool. I watched her as she broke the surface of the water like a sexy sea nymph. Turning to me, she smirked. “Stop staring, you perv.”

“What? You’re hot,” I said, diving into the water and popping up right next to her. I cupped her ass, encouraging her legs to wrap around my waist. I traced my fingers along her tattoo that adorned her ribs. “Very hot.”

“Are you horny, baby?” Bella giggled.

“Oh, always, _piccolina,_ ” I purred, thrusting my hips up. She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be all sassy with me. When was the last time we made love?”

“This morning,” she quipped, nipping at my collar bone.

“You lie. That was you giving me a blow job,” I growled, reaching behind my wife’s back to take off her bikini top. “Don’t get me wrong, feeling your mouth on my cock is the best way to wake up, but when was the last time I was inside of you, Mrs. Cullen?”

“I honestly don’t remember,” she said, her eyes dilating. With a swift tug, I untied her bikini top. Her breasts were free of the black fabric as I tossed it onto the patio next to the in-ground pool. My hands slid up her sides and I cupped her perfect breasts, massaging her nipples. “Fuck, Edward.”

“Yes, you’re going to fuck Edward,” I growled, finding her neck and sucking it lightly. “I need you, Bella. So fucking much.” My lips moved to her ear and I nibbled on it. Bella’s hips rocked against my growing cock. My hands were gently twisting her dusty rose nipples.

“It’s been too long,” she whimpered, pulling back to kiss me fully on the mouth. There was no preamble to her kiss. Her tongue slid between my lips and eagerly waged war with mine. I walked with her to the edge of the pool. My hands had tugged on the ties of her bikini bottoms and removed them. I put Bella on the edge of the pool, her naked body glistening in the dwindling daylight.

“Lay back, Bella,” I said, my voice dropping. “Spread your legs. I need to see your pussy.”

“My sexy man,” she cooed, leaning back on her elbows and spreading her thighs as far as they could go. Her bare sex was fully on display. I couldn’t help but stare at the perfection of my wife’s body. Yes, it had changed since having Bethy and she still felt self-conscious of her scars from her ordeal in Aro’s warehouse, but she was perfect. All woman and curves and sexiness and it was all fucking mine. “Well, are you going to stare or are you going to do something?”

“Smart ass,” I chuckled, pulling her closer to me. “It’s been…I wanted to gaze on your sexiness. Build up the anticipation, my love.” I looked down at her pussy, noticing that it was now glistening with arousal. “And it worked.” Using my finger, I caressed her clit. Bella let out a low groan. “We have to be quiet, Little One. Our baby is sleeping.”

“You and I both know that she sleeps like the dead,” she whimpered, spreading her legs further. “Edward, stop teasing me. I need your tongue. Taste me. Lick my pussy.”

“My dirty girl,” I chuckled, leaning forward to press a kiss just above her sex. Bella fell back and her hands flew to my wet hair. She tugged on the wet strands as I peppered her lower body with barely-there kisses. Her arousal was increasing, dripping out of her slit. Looking up at her, I licked her sex from asshole to clit. Bella let out a guttural moan. “Like that?”

“More, Edward. Fuck me with your mouth,” she begged. I eagerly complied, spreading her lower lips with my hands. Using my thumb, I circled her clit as my tongue slid inside of her. Her taste was diluted from being in the water, but it was still flawless. Spicy, earthy, floral, and something that was just inherently my wife. I growled lowly as I devoured her pussy. Bella’s arousal was spilling out of her freely. Her hands tightened in my hair and I kissed up to her clit, sliding two of my fingers inside of her. I curled them up, massaging the spongy part of her that always made her explode. “Oh, GOD!”

I moved closer, snaking my left hand up her body to gently squeeze her breast while I slowly eased my fingers in and out, thrusting at just the right angle. Her legs were dangling over my shoulders and I was surrounded by the scent of my wife, watching as she began to unravel with my touch. Her head was thrown back in absolute pleasure as her hips bucked against my fingers. Her essence was coating my tongue, sliding down my arm and into the pool. She was close. Very close. My fingers were cramped inside of her as her silken walls hugged me. Bella began humming as her legs were shaking on either side of me. Her pussy was pulsating. My tongue was coated with her arousal as she began to come, vibrating with her release. I grazed her clit lightly with my teeth, and she barked out a screech, bending nearly in half off the edge of the pool. I kept my mouth on her, languidly curling my fingers inside of my wife as she had her powerful orgasm.

Collapsing on the patio, Bella was panting heavily. Her skin was flushed pink, covered in a sheen of sweat. I pressed kisses on her inner thighs before lifting her easily back into the water of the pool. “Oooh! That’s cold,” she squealed, latching her body around mine.

“Sorry,” I snickered, my hands finding her ass. She pulled back, glaring at me playfully. I leaned down, kissing her pink mouth. Her ire quickly dissipated and she unraveled her legs from my waist. Making quick work of my board shorts, she tossed them over my shoulder. Bella’s hot little hand wrapped around my cock and it was my turn to make some guttural noises. “Bella, I want to be inside of you, _piccolina._ ”

She let go of my cock and led me to the stairs of our pool. I sat down as Bella crawled onto my lap. We were not fully emerged. Making love in the water takes away the friction and it was not as pleasurable as one might think. My ass and legs were in the water, but my arousal was outside. Bella sat down on my lap, kissing my lips softly as she sank down on my arousal. “Fuck,” she moaned. “So big, Edward.”

“All for you,” I murmured, wrapping my arms around her tiny waist. Her body hugged me, clinging around my cock. She took my face in her hands, rolling her hips, forcing me deeper inside of her body. I kissed her lips, sliding my tongue inside of her mouth. Every inch of my body was on fire, despite being waist deep in water. My beautiful, gorgeous wife was moving sinuously over me. “My Bella,” I whispered against her lips.

“All yours. I love you,” she said, thrusting her hands in my hair. “Edward, I’ll only ever be yours. Forever.” Our eyes caught and, as she moved over me, we shared so much more than sex. Whenever we looked into each other’s eyes, it was so much _more_. We shared one body at this very moment. Our hearts were beating as one and nothing else mattered but the beautiful, loving and amazing woman I had in my arms. My body was reacting to her. I could feel my cock swell as I slid in and out of my wife. “I can feel you, baby. Let go.”

“Not without you, my love,” I choked out. “Please, Bella.”

“Touch me,” she begged, leaning back. I kissed her collarbones before latching onto her breast. My right hand found her sensitive bundle, circling it feverishly. Her arousal was coming out of her and leaking onto my thighs. I loved that she got so wet for me. Watching my cock sink inside of her, I was on sensory overload. “Yes, Edward. Just like that. Harder…”

“Fuck,” I moaned, my hips moving faster and deeper. With our combined movements, I felt so connected to her. She was losing control based on the jerky movements of her hips. She jumped forward, kissing me deeply as her body lost all control, spasming with twitches of another orgasm that quaked her. Her release triggered mine, and I buried my face against her shoulder, trying to silence my roar from exploding past my lips. I filled her with my orgasm, lost in all feelings that I had of her.

I moved down so the evidence of our combined orgasms would be washed away in the chlorine of the pool. Bella stayed wrapped around me as I languorously kissed her. “I can’t believe how good it is with you,” Bella murmured, kissing my jaw. “I never thought I’d be married because the idea of having sex with _one_ person for the rest of my life kind of freaked me out when I was younger. Plus, you saw what my dad did. He was a slut.”

“And now?” I asked, my fingers dancing along her ass.

“Our lovemaking is _never_ boring,” she giggled. “I can’t imagine being with someone else, Edward. You are truly my match made in heaven. You are such an attentive lover, always giving me what I need.”

“You do the same, Bella. Trust me when I say that I’m not unsatisfied, but I just missed you,” I said, kissing her lips softly. “I’m looking forward to our trip to Italy, spending time with our family and reconnecting with you.”

“I can’t wait,” Bella smiled, pressing her lips to mine and sliding her tongue into my mouth. “But, I do want some more of my hubby. In our bed.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” I snorted.

xx DLP xx

**BPOV**

“Mommy, why can’t Daddy come with us on the plane?” Bethy asked as she sat perched on her bed. We were leaving for Italy tomorrow. I was not looking forward to traveling nine hours with a rambunctious six year old. But at least Charlie and Sue were going to be with me. Bethy loved her Papa.

“Daddy’s got a meeting at the courthouse, sweet girl,” I said, folding her clothing. “When we’re taking off, he’s meeting with a judge about a big case he’s working on. But, Daddy promised that he’d be on the next plane after he was done. We get to keep him for two weeks!”

“Two weeks? YAY!” Bethy squealed, bouncing on her bed. “I love Daddy, Mommy. He’s so handsome and nice and funny and silly and…”[B1] 

“I know, baby,” I laughed, encouraging her to sit down. “I love Daddy, too. He’s my best friend.” I couldn’t really say he was an amazing lover to my child. But he was. Really. Not to mention, he’d been my rock and my everything since we got together.

Yes, the beginning of our relationship was very unconventional. We had met while he was undercover with the FBI. He was assigned to take down my dad but instead he brought down the Volturi. My father, the former head of the del Cigno Syndicate, leaked information to the feds and made a plea bargain for a much lesser sentence. When he got out, my dad was able to become a productive member of society without the illegal mob ties. He didn’t make the same amount of money, but he was happy and didn’t fear retaliation from his competitors. Charlie had already lost his first wife, my mom, Renee, to that retaliation and he nearly lost me.

Aro Volturi, my father’s arch rival, had me captured. I was taken into his clutches after I discovered who Edward really was. That was a clusterfuck in and of itself. We made love in his cover apartment, he told me he loved me, and then I discover he was a federal agent. I had quite the diva fit. And that fit resulted in a week’s worth of torture and captivity. Edward came swooping in just prior to James, one of Aro’s henchmen, was about to rape me, killing him and my ex-boyfriend, Riley. I was all sorts of fucked up after that. I had major issues with trust and I needed to reclaim my independence.

Long story short, I had hurt Edward. Big time. It wasn’t until I had a severe panic attack that he came back into my life, at the insistence of my half-brother, Emmett. After that moment, we slowly rebuilt our relationship and by Christmas of that year, we were together, fully committed to each other. I had to do some ass-kissing with Edward’s adoptive mother, Esme, but we eventually got over our mutual distrust of each other and I now consider her to be my mom, for all intents and purposes.

Our relationship had a fairy tale ending. Edward, who I thought was stuck in Boston at his internship at Harvard law, surprised me at my graduation, proposing to me with the most gorgeous and perfect ring. It was rose gold with a large pink diamond in the center with white diamonds surrounding it like a halo. I never took my ring off except to shower and when I had Bethy.

“Okay, Miss Priss,” I began. “You need to pick four toys to take with you on the plane. Remember, we have a ton of stuff in the villa in Sorrento. Just four.” Bethy hopped off the bed and scampered to her playroom. I finished packing for her. Well, as much as I could do until tomorrow when I had to pack up her toiletries. Skipping back into the room, I smiled at my gorgeous girl. Bethy was a perfect combination of Edward and me. She had his coloring, reddish hair with bright green eyes. But, she looked very much like me, small button nose, petite stature, and a heart-shaped face. Right now, she was even more adorable with her missing teeth. It gave her the slightest lisp. “What did you pick, Bethy?”

My girl was such a brainiac. All of her toys that she chose were books or educational, with the exception of her American Girl doll. That was a given. She never went anywhere without her doll. I tossed the doll into the bag, giving her a smirk. “Pick one more, Bethy. I knew you’d pick Linnea.”

“Kay, Mommy,” she beamed, tearing off back to her playroom and coming back with a handful of coloring books and crayons. I put them into her carryon and led her downstairs so we could go shopping for a few necessities that I needed. I desperately needed a new bathing suit along with some new summer clothes. After we were done getting the shopping done, I drove over to Esme’s. She had retired shortly after Bethy was born so she could be a full-time grandma.

Ringing the doorbell, Bethy and I waited for Esme to open it up. When she did, her eyes brightened and she crouched down to hug her granddaughter. “You are getting more and more beautiful every day, Bethy,” she crooned in her ear.

“Hi, Nana,” she smiled, kissing Esme’s cheek. “We’re going to Italy tomorrow!”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m so glad you came to visit me,” she said, moving to the side to let us in.

Hugging my mother-in-law, I whispered in her ear, “You can still come with us, Es. We’ve got the room.”

“Carlisle is pushing to the end. Another year and then he joins me in retirement,” Esme smirked. “We’ll join you next year.”

“Okay,” I said. Inside, I spent the afternoon with Esme and Bethy, making cookies and talking about everything we were going to do while in Sorrento. Shortly before we left, Bethy asked if Nana wanted anything from Italy, a souvenir.

“Bethy, you don’t have to get me anything,” Esme said, tucking her reddish curls behind her ear.

“I want to get you something, Nana. And Grandpop, too,” she said, digging her heals in. “What do you want?”

“I’ll leave that up to you, Bethy. Whatever you get me or Grandpop, we’ll love,” Esme smiled, kissing Bethy’s forehead. “I better hear from you, though. I need to make sure my granddaughter is safe and sound with Mommy and Daddy.”

We drove home and I made a quick meal. Edward came home just before we sat down. He had a ton of work to do before going on vacation, he said. Once Bethy was in bed, he’d have to go back into the office to finish preparing for his meeting tomorrow. I was sad about this since I wanted to spend the night in his arms, knowing that it would be at least two days until I was with him again due the delay in his departure.

We read to Bethy until she crashed. Edward put on a pair of khakis and a polo before grabbing his keys. I was sullenly sitting on the couch, watching him get ready to go. “Bella, don’t be upset with me. If I didn’t have to go back, I wouldn’t. My assistant handed me a brief just before I left to go home and I have to amend my statement for the judge. I promise, _promise_ to be home before midnight.” He crouched in front of me, taking my face in his hands. “I love you, Bella. I’m so sorry.”

“I know. I know you have a job to do but I wanted you in bed,” I sniffled, feeling a little rejected.

“If the meeting wasn’t at nine, I would be in bed with you. I was so pissed when I got that package from my assistant,” he growled. “I promise. I’ll work fast.” He kissed me deeply, cupping my chin. “Then, I’m yours for two weeks.”

“Okay,” I said, giving him a half-hearted smile. “I’m sorry for being such a girl. I just don’t sleep well without you and I won’t be sleeping with you for a couple of days.”

“I know, _piccolina,”_ he said, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I’ll be back before you can miss me.”

“I love you, Edward,” I said, throwing my arms around his neck. I kissed him softly before he left. With a sigh, I went up to our bedroom, packing our belongings. I was taking Edward’s bag. He would be taking a small roller suitcase, but I’d have the rest of his luggage and clothing.

If I had imagined this as my life when I met Edward, I would have laughed in your face. I was not the girl you’d figure to settle down. I was a party girl. In some ways, I still was. Not as much as I used to be, but I enjoyed having fun. My version of having fun now was dinner parties, barbeques, and kid’s soccer games. It was unlike my cousin Angie’s life or Jessica’s. After my ordeal, we’d obviously drifted apart. Jessica tried to maintain a relationship but her priorities were different. She was still a kid, wanting to go clubbing and mooching off her father’s dwindling fortune. Yes, she eventually got married, but it didn’t last long. They were divorced within a year of the marriage.

With Angie, our friendship never stood a chance. The beginning of the end was in Rome prior to my kidnapping. It escalated from there when she gave me handcuffs for my bachelorette party. Handcuffs didn’t mix well with me. I was handcuffed to a table for five days. I thought I was going to die from panic when I saw them in the box. I never truly recovered from that, nor could I forgive her. As far as I knew, she was living in New York City, working as a stripper. [B2] 

I didn’t know how long I stood there, staring off into space, reminiscing about my lost friendships, but Edward’s strong arms wrapping around me broke my reverie. “Did you miss me?” he asked.

“You were gone?” I teased.

“You are a pain in my ass,” he laughed, smacking my butt.

“But, you love me,” I smirked, turning in his arms and kissing his lips. “Show me?”

And he did. Until we both collapsed from exhaustion and being sexually sated.

xx DLP xx

**EPOV**

“Daddy, come build a sand castle with me,” Bethy squealed.

“Give me a minute, Princess,” I said. We had spent the morning frolicking in the waves on the Tuscan coast. I was not as young as I used to be. We were celebrating my thirty-fifth birthday while we were in Italy, and my body was not happy with the abuse it received from the waves crashing against me or my daughter’s fists and feet kicking me.

“I’ll build one with you, _nipotina_ ,” Charlie smiled, hopping up from his chaise lounge.

“Yay!” Bethy smiled, skipping through the sand with Charlie following her.

I fell onto the towel next to my half-naked wife. She was reading Felipe’s first edit of her most recent novel. She was marking things with her handy purple pen. I took the pen, capping it with a flourish and tossing her book into our bags. “Edward, I’ve got a deadline.”

“And we’re on vacation,” I said, putting my chin on my hands. “When’s your deadline?”

“August first,” she replied, wrinkling her nose.

“August first to get the book published or August first to look over the first round of edits?”

“First round,” she answered.

“Then, if I see that book out again while we’re here, I’m locking it in the safe and changing the combination,” I chided. She kicked me in the ribs lightly with her foot. I caught it before she tried again, tickling her toes.

“Edward!” she giggled. “Stop it!”

“No work. If I can’t take out my laptop and check my email then you can’t edit your book. Capische?”

“Yeah, I understand,” she said, laying down next to me, putting her head on my bicep. “My tattooed attorney…so damn sexy.”

“When Phil saw me in the office prior to my departure, it was the first time he saw some of my tattoos. He was shocked to say the least,” I laughed. “If he could see me now! All tanned up and my tattoos on full display.”

“I just want to lick all your ink,” Bella purred, running her fingers up and down the angel’s wings on my back.

“You are so horny, Little One,” I laughed. “Not that I’m complaining…it’s amazing all of the sex we’re having, but you’re ravenous for being with me.”

“It must be the Italian air. It makes me yearn for you,” Bella cooed, nipping at my ear. “Brings back memories of when we were here that first summer. Each moment when we learned what we both liked, those innocent caresses, the hot nights, and everything in between.”

“Bella, behave,” I chided. “I’m sporting some serious wood and if I get up, I’ll scare small children.”

“Sorry,” she said, but not really showing it. “Now, what do you want to do for your birthday? You’re turning thirty-five. I want to spoil my hunky, sexy and amazing husband.”

“Do you think that Charlie and Sue would be willing to watch Bethy?” I asked. “We can go to Capri for the weekend?”

“Daddy!” Bella yelled, hopping up from her towel. I chuckled at her. There wasn’t any doubt that Charlie and Sue would watch our daughter. In fact, they both sent us back to our villa to plan our getaway. Bella handled it all, speaking fluently and quickly on the phone. She booked us a luxury suite at the Grand Hotel Quisisana for three days.

We ate dinner with Charlie and Sue. Emmett and Rose were struggling with baby Gavin, who was battling a summer cold. We planned a barbeque for when we returned from my birthday excursion before they had to fly back to the states since Rose was due to go back to work from her maternity leave at the Bureau after the Independence Day holiday.

The day before my birthday, Bella and I left for the hotel in Capri. We boarded a ferry, relaxing in the sun as the boat traveled over the waves of Mediterranean. Arriving at the hotel, we checked in and decided to spend some time in the pool. Bella wanted to spoil me with a spa package, but she thought better of it since I could not handle the idea of some stranger’s hands on my body.

“You may not handle some stranger’s hands, but I could give you a massage,” Bella chirped as we lay on the chaise lounges. “You’ve been working so hard, Edward. You deserve to have some pampering.”

“I can handle you. No one else,” I said, looking at her over my sunglasses.

xx DLP xx

**BPOV**

I had everything planned. Our suite was covered in soothing, relaxing candles. I had lotion and oils for the massage along with the new age, jazzy shit playing. I even got a massage table from the spa. When I had arranged for this, they asked if I wanted a professional masseur to come up and give my husband a massage. I quickly told them no, due to a medical condition.

Edward had gone out shopping, presumably to buy something for Bethy. She was truly the apple of his eye. I never knew a man who loved his daughter more than Edward loved Bethy. As sacrilegious as it sounds, Edward loves Bethy more than my father loves me and that’s saying something. He was amazing with her. He read with her, played with her, and was absolutely silly with Bethy. Most of the time, Edward was reserved, but with our baby girl he changed. He became whatever Bethy wanted.

A knight.

A dragon slayer.

A horse.

A clown.

A musician.

A loving, doting father.

Edward would move mountains for Bethy. The love he had for her was nothing short of amazing. What we shared was special, but Edward’s bond with our baby was miraculous. I think it was due in part to his upbringing. He saw how a father _shouldn’t_ act. His birth father was a monster, taking everything good from my husband and ruining it.

Tears splashed onto my face but I quickly wiped them away when I heard the door open. Edward sauntered in, looking amazingly sexy in a pair of shorts and a tight polo shirt. _So fucking sexy. Even now…damn._ “Bella, I found the most perfect…Wow!”

“Happy birthday,” I said, holding my hands out.  

“This is…Bella, I can’t believe you did all this,” he said, walking around. He inhaled deeply, obviously enjoying the scent of lavender and vanilla with a touch of sandalwood.

“I told you that you deserved a little pampering. So, if you can’t go to the spa, I brought the spa to you,” I smiled. “On the menu for today is an hour massage, complete with a happy ending.”

“ _Piccolina_ ,” he laughed.

“Plus, I’m going to wash every inch of you before we enjoy a meal that will be delivered in a couple of hours. Then, I’m planning on making love to you all night,” I smiled.

“Let’s skip all of that other stuff and go right to the making love part,” he said, crossing over to me and wrapping his strong arms around my body.

“Good things come to birthday boys who wait. Now, get naked, counselor. Lie down on the massage table, face down. You got it?” she asked, arching a brow.

“Yes, ma’am,” he chuckled, darting into the bedroom to toss the bags he was carrying onto the bed. I heard him remove his clothes, and he walked back into the suite, naked as the day he was born. With a smirk, he crawled onto the table, wiggling his bare ass as he lay down on his belly on the table. Using one of the soft, fluffy towels, I covered him and began working on massaging his body, starting with his feet. I worked up his legs, relaxing the muscles in his calves and hamstrings. “God damn, Bella. Where did you learn how to do this?”

“I took a class in athletic training for my PE credit in college. The downside was that I had touch stinky, sweaty football players but the upside is that I know how to give a hell of a massage,” I snickered, pinching his right butt cheek.

Turning and glaring at me, “And what muscle did that relax?”

“Your gluteus maximus,” I giggled, pinching his other butt cheek before moving so I was straddling his legs, putting all of my weight into his back. He let out a low groan as I worked my hands up his back that was riddled with knots. I knew Edward was stressed, but to feel it in a physical manifestation like this concerned me. “You’re so getting a massage like this every week, Edward. You’re a mess.”

“You won’t get any complaints from me…FUCK!” he barked as I tried to work out a particular deep knot. “Lay off that one, Bella. Perhaps ease into it later.”

“Kay,” I said, feeling badly that I had hurt him. His massage lasted over an hour, and I did pay special attention to his very erect cock when he flipped over. Kissing his lips, I stroked him until he exploded all over my hand and his belly. My husband was barely coherent when I led him to the bathroom. We took a shared bath where I washed every inch of his inked skin, scratching my fingers along his scalp and washing his thick hair.

After our bath, I told Edward to just put on a robe while I slipped on a barely-there negligee. I put on a robe as I opened the door, slipping the bellhop a few euros after he rolled in our dinner. Edward and I ate our meal on the patio, sharing bites of the cake I had ordered for his thirty-fifth birthday. “Has today been good for you, Edward?” I asked, snuggling back against his chest.

“It’s almost as awesome as the first birthday we spent together,” Edward smirked, kissing my ear.

“Almost?” I asked, giving him the evil eye.

“Well, that night, I made love to my dream girl for the first time. I only got a happy ending today,” he said, his fingers gliding up my thigh. “The true happy ending is being inside of you, Bella.”

I stood up, holding out my hand. He took it and we walked into the bedroom. Lifting my negligee, Edward ran his hand along my body, cupping my breasts. I stared into his deep, jade colored eyes as he reverently caressed every inch of my skin. Gently, he placed me on the bed, and his mouth followed the same path as his hands. I was on fire, throbbing with need for him. Crawling up my body, I spread my legs, allowing him to fall into the cradle of my thighs. His arousal was trapped between my thigh and his stomach. I caressed his slightly scruffy cheek. “I’m so happy that you had a great birthday, Edward. I love you so much.”

He shifted his hips, sliding inside of me as a crooked grin spread over his handsome face. “Now, it’s a great birthday, Mrs. Cullen. I love you with every ounce of my being.” He leaned down, kissing my lips softly as he languidly thrust in and out of me. Our lovemaking was powerful because it was just about us, reconnecting as lovers. It wasn’t about harried thrusts in the shower or fucking in the pool. It was Edward making love to Bella, his wife, my husband, soul mates.

xx DLP xx

**EPOV**

“Daddy, I’m worried about Mommy,” Bethy said.

My hackles went up. I looked at my daughter who was sitting in the backseat of my Volvo SUV. I was driving my daughter from her soccer game. We had been back from Italy for two months[B3] . Bella had sent her revisions to Felipe and I was headlong in a terrorism case. Bella had been getting tired lately but it was due to her all-night sessions writing. My wife was quite the night owl. “What do you mean, Bethy?”

“I mean, Mommy has been puking a lot and she’s cranky,” Bethy replied, wrinkling her nose. “Why is she puking, Daddy?”

“I don’t know, Princess,” I said. “I’ll take care of Mommy when we get home, okay?” A short ride later, I parked the car. Bethy waved at one of the neighbor girls. The little girl, Haley, asked if Bethy wanted to come over and play. Bethy looked at me with her big green eyes, begging for approval. “Change out of your soccer uniform and then you can go,” I smiled.

“Thank you, Mr. Edward!” Haley squealed, following Bethy into our house. I followed them, tossing Bethy’s soccer bag in the laundry room. The sounds of the little girls assaulted my ears. When Bethy was changed into a pair of shorts and a matching shirt, she kissed my cheek before skipping across the street to Haley’s house. Once I saw that she was safely in Haley’s yard, I went in search for my wife. Unfortunately, I found her.

Throwing up in the bathroom.

“Bella,” I said, crouching down on my knees. I pulled her hair away from her flushed face.

“Ugh, I hate this,” she said, sitting back on her ass. “The vomiting is so gross.”

“Bethy mentioned it to me that you weren’t feeling well,” I said, cradling her in my arms. “How long has this been going on?”

“A little over two weeks,” she grumbled, leaning heavily against me. “I was in the kitchen and the smell of coffee…yeah, didn’t agree with me.”

“ _Piccolina_ , could you be pregnant?” I asked.

“Rose mentioned that to me, but I just had a period,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “It was lighter than normal, but I still had one.”

“I think you’re pregnant, Bella,” I urged. I stood up, helping her to her feet. My wife swayed and I held her to my side. Walking slowly, I set her up in the bedroom and got her some ginger ale along with saltine crackers. “Nibble on this. I’m going to get a pregnancy test.” She gave me a worried look. “Don’t be upset, Bella.”

“You’re not mad, if I am pregnant?” she whispered.

“Bella, Bethy is the most wonderful gift that I have ever received. I love our daughter more than anything. If you’re pregnant, I will love this child as much, if not more,” I said, kissing her lips and then kissing her flat tummy. “Will you be okay while I run to the drug store?”

“What about Bethy?” Bella asked.

“She’s over at Haley’s. From the chattering I heard, she may be staying the night with her.” Bella nodded, curling up on the chair. I kissed her sweetly before darting back out to buy a pregnancy test. I bought two different kinds along with some more ginger ale, saltine crackers, and one single pink rose. Paying for my booty, I hightailed it to my home. I put the ginger ale in the fridge and brought up the crackers, tests, and the flower.

“That was fast,” Bella said, eyeing me as I strode through the door. “Did you break the sound barrier?”

“I’m worried about you, _piccolina_ ,” I said, handing her the flower. She smiled softly, tears forming in her deep chocolate orbs. “Do you want this baby?”

“Of course, I do. I’m just scared. Bethy is finally her own little person and now, a new baby? Is she going to resent us? I mean, I resented my dad for having Emmett and I found out about him being my brother when I was twenty-two,” Bella laughed, wiping her nose.

“Now, did you resent your dad for screwing around or the fact that Emmett is your brother?” I asked, moving her so she could sit on my lap. She made a face, pondering my question. “Be honest with yourself, Bella.”

“Okay, I was miffed that my dad fucked around on my mom. I love Em. He’s a great older brother, but that whole situation was all sorts of fucked up. I mean, Uncle John refuses to even talk to my dad and Aunt Char has fallen off the face of the planet. For all I know, Uncle John cut up my aunt into teeny tiny pieces and she’s littering the bottom of the Pacific Ocean,” she said, her face paling. Shooting up, she ran into the bathroom, retching up violently. I held her hair away from her face as she hugged the toilet. “Damn it. You and your super sperm.”

“It’s not official, Little One. Can you take the test?” I asked, opening one of the boxes and handing her one of the pregnancy tests. Feebly, she took the test from my hand and gestured for me to leave. Bella and I were intimate but sharing bathroom habits was not something we wanted to see nor experience. I paced outside of the bathroom while she took the test. A few moments later, Bella opened the door and dragged me back inside. “Everything okay?”

“I kind of got performance anxiety with you pacing, but I managed to pee on the stick,” she said, sitting down on the edge of the tub.

“Sorry, love,” I said, wrapping my arms around her body. We sat there in silence, waiting for the timer to go off on Bella’s phone, which was propped up on the sink. It was getting closer and closer to ringing. Kissing her temple, I smiled against her hair. “No matter what that stick says, I love you. If we’re pregnant, I’ll be over the moon happy. If not, I’ll take you to whatever specialists we need to get you healthy.”

“I love you, too,” she said, reaching for the stick as the timer vibrated on the countertop. Bella looked at me, threading her fingers with mine and spinning my wedding band. With a quiet breath, Bella flipped the stick and two very prominent blue lines were displayed. “Oh my…”

“We’re pregnant,” I smiled, hugging her tightly.

“We’re pregnant,” she said, looking at me but her eyes were filled with fear. “How are we going to tell Bethy?”

“I suggest we wait until you have more of a belly. That way, Bethy can see tangible proof that you’re carrying her little brother or sister,” I replied, massaging her stomach. “I love you, _piccolina._ You’ve made me so happy.”

“You helped,” she said, placing her own palm over mine. “I didn’t get pregnant on my own.”

“You didn’t and need I remind you that our daughter is across the street, playing with the neighbor kid. Do you want to celebrate the conception of our second child?” I asked, smiling lasciviously.

She smirked, pointing to my clothes. “You’re overdressed, counselor,” she giggled, getting up from the tub. Her clothes were tossed onto the ground and she was standing, gloriously naked in front of me. Now knowing she was pregnant, the changes in her body were obvious. Her breasts were larger with much darker nipples, plus her hips were a touch wider and her tummy, while still flat, had some roundness to it. “Ogling my baby body?”

“And I want to worship it,” I growled, stripping out of my clothes and picked her up, carefully. Striding into the bedroom, I placed her on the bed and spent the afternoon cherishing her body. After talking to Haley’s parents and packing a bag for Bethy so she could spend the night with her friend, the rest of the night was spent making love as well. I had to love up on the mother of my _children_.

xx DLP xx

**BPOV**

Edward and I went to the doctor the following week. The baby’s conception was two weeks prior to our trip to Italy. We shared a look, knowing that our newest addition was conceived in our swimming pool. I had just passed into the second trimester and the changes in my body were quite abundant. I had a noticeable baby bump when I was naked. I could get away with wearing my jeans if I didn’t button them, but I knew that I had to dig out my old maternity clothes.

Oh, wait, I had given most of them to Rose.

A reason to go shopping.

By the time Halloween rolled around, I was definitely showing, but Bethy was blissfully ignorant. She thought I had just gotten fat. Edward and I were going to tell her that in my belly I had a little brother or sister for her that would be born around Valentine’s Day. I made all of Bethy’s favorite foods and we sat down at the dinner table. Bethy was chattering on about the Halloween parade from earlier in the week. Edward had taken the morning off so he could see her march in it as Elsa from _Frozen._

“…Haley said that my costume was the best. It was hand made by Mommy and the wig was soooo awesome! Can I dye my hair blonde?” Bethy asked.

“No, Bethy,” Edward said, arching a brow at our daughter. “You’re six. Going to be seven in a month. I’m thirty-five and I don’t dye my hair.”

“And you totally rock that distinguished salt and pepper at the temples,” I smirked.

“Hush. I do not have gray hair,” Edward hissed. Nervously, he ran a hand through his unruly bronze mop. He really didn’t have much gray hair, only some mixed in his thick tresses. I honestly had more than him, but mine was more apparent because my hair was so dark. But, unlike my sexy hubby, I did dye my hair.

“Daddy, can I go watch _Frozen_ again?” Bethy asked, pushing her empty plate away.

“Not yet, Princess,” Edward replied, holding his arms out for our daughter. Bethy scrambled into Edward’s lap and she played with the buttons of his shirt. “Look at Mommy, Bethy. Isn’t she beautiful?”

“She looks like Belle from _Beauty and the Beast_ ,” Bethy smiled, looking up at her father in awe.

“Do you notice something else about Mommy?” Edward asked, running his hands through our daughter’s hair. “Look at her belly.”

“I don’t want to stare. It’s big,” Bethy whispered, blushing crimson. I chuckled rubbing my hand on my rounded stomach. “Did you swallow a beach ball, Mommy?”

“No, _principessa_ ,” I answered. “In my belly, there’s a baby. Around Valentine’s Day, you’ll have a little brother or sister. Someone that you can show the ropes to, love unconditionally and protect.”

Bethy stared at my stomach, her face falling and a scowl forming on her face. “I don’t want a baby brother or sister. I like it just the way we are. Mommy, Daddy and me.” She tried hop off Edward’s lap, but he banded his arms around her waist.

“Bethy, that wasn’t nice. And this isn’t a decision that you can make,” Edward scolded. “Mommy and Daddy love each other and we’re having another baby. You’re going to have a lot of responsibilities as a big sister.”

“I don’t want them,” Bethy glowered, shoving out of Edward’s arms and running up the stairs. “I don’t want a brother or sister!” Her door slammed and the walls rattled.

“Wow, she’s really acting like a spoiled princess,” I snorted derisively.

“We’ve just caused an upheaval in her world, Bella. Now, it doesn’t excuse her behavior, but she is entitled to have some sort of feelings, be upset about it,” Edward sighed. He pinched his nose, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “It’s not like you’re going to stop being pregnant, Bella. We’re having this baby, regardless if Bethy wants it or not.”

“She’s got until Valentine’s Day to get used to the idea,” I said, getting up and sitting down on Edward’s lap. “We need to punish her for the way she acted, though.”

“No television for a week and she can’t have any friends over for two,” Edward suggested. I nodded. “Do you want to be bad cop or me?”

“I’ll do it. You have to deal with real criminals all day. I can handle our six year old,” I snorted. “You have to do the dishes, counselor. I made this feast.”

“I had already planned on it, _piccolina_ ,” Edward said, patting my ass. I got up and went up the stairs to check on Bethy. Opening her door, she was laying on her bed, clutching her American Girl doll, Linnea.

“Your father and I are very disappointed in you, Elizabeth Renee,” I said, sitting down next to her. She huffed and rolled to face the other way. “And you’re not helping your cause.”

“Why are you having a baby, Mommy?” she asked, her green eyes narrowing at me.

“It’s not something we planned, baby. Daddy and I are just happy that we are and we want you to be, too,” I said. She harrumphed[B4] , crossing her arms over her chest. “Elizabeth, just because I’m having another baby doesn’t mean that we’re going to love you any less. Quite the opposite, sweetheart. Will there be an adjustment period? Of course, but we’ll always love you.”

“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“No, ‘whatever.’ Elizabeth Renee, I love you, but right now I don’t like you very much. Your behavior is spoiled and downright mean. Your father and I didn’t raise you to act like this. Now, there are consequences for your actions, young lady. You will not watch television for a week. Nothing. Secondly, you’re grounded from your friends for two weeks and that includes your birthday party. It’s now canceled.”

“Mom!!” she wailed.

“You can’t talk to me that way, nor can you act like you’ve been acting. This is not going away,” I said, laying my hand on my stomach. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she muttered.

“Think of how you’ve acted and how it made me and your father feel,” I said, getting up from her bed. I left her in her room while she cried.

She half-heartedly apologized before we went to bed, but she was still glowering at my stomach. The next two weeks were unbearable. Bethy was cranky and upset that we had canceled her _Frozen_ birthday party. Edward was ashamed of how she was acting and shocked that she wouldn’t warm up to the idea of us having another baby. It’s not like she was eighteen and I was having my second. Bethy was seven. I had just turned thirty, and Edward was halfway in his thirty-fifth year.

Christmas rolled around, followed by the New Year. Bethy was a bit more amenable to the idea of my having the baby, but she was still distant. She wouldn’t go into the gender-neutral nursery we set up. Each time we had an ultrasound, our bean wouldn’t cooperate and show its goody bits. Right now, we were just happy that the baby was healthy.

Me? Not so much.

I suffered some morning sickness throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. My OB, Dr. Gionardi, was concerned that I wasn’t putting on enough weight or keeping food down. I had been admitted into the hospital three times for dehydration and was taking some pretty hefty anti-nausea medications all throughout my pregnancy. Dr. Gionardi was not happy with my blood pressure, either. It wasn’t terribly high, but it put me at risk for preeclampsia.

On the morning of January nineteenth, Edward had to go to the courthouse for some meeting regarding the terrorism case he was trying to bring to trial. Bethy was staying home sick, and I was just feeling miserable. Edward set me up on the couch before he left, reminding Bethy to take care of me. His phone number was programmed in all of the lines in our house as number one.

Shortly before lunch, Bethy came down to have some lunch. Edward had made her a sandwich, leaving it in the fridge since I was so lightheaded and dizzy. “Bethy, can you get me some water and my meds?” I asked, trying to stand up.

“Sure, Mom,” Bethy replied.

I wobbled a bit, walking unsteadily toward the bathroom. As I passed the wall in the kitchen, I felt something lurch inside of me. I was very dizzy and confused. “Bethy,” I whispered, falling to my knees.

“Mom? Mommy?” she screamed, running to my side.

“Call…Call Daddy,” I panted out before my vision blacked out.

xx DLP xx

“Mr. Cullen,” yelled my assistant, Rhiannon. “Your phone, it’s been ringing off the hook.” She scampered over to me and I saw the caller ID, _Home._ “They won’t leave a message, sir.”

“Fuck,” I spat, picking up the phone. “Bella?”

“Daddy!” sobbed my baby girl. “Mommy…Mommy’s sick! She collapsed and she’s really, really pale. What should I do? Daddy!”

“Baby, I need you to hang up the phone and dial 911,” I said, my heart shattering. I picked up my coat and started walking to the exit.

“Mr. Cullen! The case!” Rhiannon screeched.

“It’s yours, Rhiannon. I’ve got a family emergency,” I said, my heart stammering in my ribs as I raced out of the federal courthouse. “Bethy, listen to me. I need you to hang up. I know you don’t want to, but you have to. You have to call 911.”

“Can I use Mommy’s phone?” she whimpered.

“Do that, Bethy,” I said, clambering into my car. I heard my daughter shakily tell the 911 dispatcher that her mother was heavily pregnant and had passed out.. I raced through downtown Seattle, trying to get to my Mercer Island home so I could take care of my two girls.

“Daddy, the 911 lady said that the ambulance will be here in five minutes. Mommy’s barely breathing. What do I do?”

“Is she on her belly or her back?” I asked.

“Back,” she answered.

“Roll her on her side, Bethy,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

Bethy grunted. “She won’t move. Daddy, she’s going to die! Where are you?”

“I’m trying as best as I can to get to you, baby girl,” I said, tears falling down my cheeks. I felt so helpless, even more helpless than when she was kidnapped by Aro. Over the phone, I could faintly hear knocking. “Bethy, the door. Get the door.”

“I don’t want to leave Mommy,” she wailed.

“She needs your help, baby. Please open the door,” I choked out, my heart pounding anxiously. Bethy’s footfalls echoed through the phone, and she sobbed hysterically. The phone must have dropped because a man’s voice came over the line.

“Hello?” he said.

“Is my wife alright?” I asked.

“What’s your wife’s name, sir?”

“Bella. Bella Cullen. I’m Edward,” I replied. “Is she okay?”

“My partner is checking her out, but it looks like she’s in labor and, from her blood pressure, is preeclamptic. We need to get her to the hospital immediately, Edward,” the EMT said over the phone.

“Which hospital?” I asked.

“Seattle Grace,” he replied. “We’ll take your daughter with us. She’s very upset. Meet us there, Edward.”

“What will the doctor’s do?” I asked, turning toward the hospital.

“Your baby needs to be delivered immediately. Bella will have an emergency c-section. We should be there in ten minutes, sir. Meet us in the emergency room.”

“Thank you,” I said, somehow managing to get on the highway to drive to Seattle Grace without killing someone. Parking in the garage, I sprinted to the emergency room. I told them that my wife was being brought in via ambulance and was in labor. I also relayed what the EMT explained to me about her blood pressure. Dr. Gionardi was paged and she was standing next to me as the ambulance pulled up.

She was intubated with tubes sticking out of her arms. The EMTs rattled off some information and Dr. Gionardi sprang into action. “Daddy!” wailed my daughter. She ran out of the ambulance, into my arms. “Mommy…make her better, Daddy.”

“Shhhh, it’s okay, baby,” I muttered, watching as Dr. Gionardi barked out orders. Bethy cried, clutching my overcoat.

“Edward, Bella needs to have a c-section to deliver your baby. It’s the only way to make sure that both her and your child will be okay. Yes, it’s early, but everything should be fine for your little one,” Dr. Gionardi. Her eyes deadened slightly. “If complications arise?”

“Do whatever you can to save Bella,” I croaked out, clinging to my daughter. “I can’t raise my children without her.”

Dr. Gionardi nodded and took off after the gurney that held my wife. I sat down in the waiting room of the emergency room, comforting my baby girl. She was running a fever, still feeling lousy. I took off my coat, wrapping her up in it as I carried her up to the surgical floor. Bethy was listlessly laying on me. I called Charlie, Sue, Esme, and Carlisle. I also contacted Phil, explaining what had happened. I knew I was going to be in trouble for leaving the case in Rhiannon’s hands, but I had to be with my family.

Phil was understanding and said that Rhiannon contacted him as soon as I left. Phil stepped in, covering my ass and put me on medical leave until Bella was out of the woods. Bethy was asleep in my arms, sniffling and coughing. One of the nurses saw that she was not feeling well and gave me a warm blanket and asked if I wanted some Gatorade for her. With a tight smile, I nodded, pressing my lips to her warm head. The nurse returned with a thermometer, taking Bethy’s temperature. It was around 102 and she darted back, getting some children’s Tylenol.

An hour later, everyone was in the waiting room, anxiously waiting to hear how Bella was doing. I was a mess, but focused on Bethy. She was traumatized at what had happened. I loved up on her, telling her that she was a brave, smart girl. She was still very upset, clinging to me. Whenever someone tried to take her from me, Bethy would fly into a panic. I just shook my head, understanding her fears and trying to tell her that everything was going to be alright.

If only I could believe my words.

Two hours later, Dr. Gionardi came out. Her hair was covered by a surgeon’s cap. She had a grim expression on her face. “Edward, may I talk to you?” she said quietly, her voice detached.

“Mom, can you take Bethy?” I asked, handing my squirming, sobbing daughter to my adoptive mother. Turning to Charlie, we walked to a quiet conference room off the waiting room. A few tears slipped from my eyes while I stared at the doctor.

“Edward, Bella’s okay,” she said, taking my hand. “Or, she will be. Right now, she’s in the ICU on the vent, but once your baby was delivered, her blood pressure lowered significantly. She’s not out of the woods, yet, but your wife will make a full recovery.”

“Everything is intact?” I asked, gesturing to my stomach.

“There was some bleeding, but we managed to get it settled down quickly before we had to resort to a hysterectomy,” Dr. Gionardi explained. “We are concerned about your daughter, though.”

“Another girl?” I asked.

“Yes, Edward. Another baby girl,” she smiled. “Her lungs aren’t as formed as we would have liked. She’s currently in the NICU with a vent breathing for her. We’re also giving her steroids to encourage her lung formation. She may be in the NICU for a few weeks.”

“Will she be alright? Any lasting effects?”

“Right now, she’s pretty critical but she’s being monitored by the best physicians and nurses in the Pacific Northwest,” Dr. Gionardi smiled. “Do you want to see your baby or your wife?”

“Bella would kick your ass if you didn’t check on your newborn daughter, Cullen,” Charlie quipped sadly.

“You’re right,” I said. “My daughter.” Dr. Gionardi nodded and she led me to the floor above us. My clothes were covered to prevent the spread of illness. Walking in the tiny ward that had more technology than I could ever imagine, plus tiny humans that were being monitored by the technology, I was led to a tiny bassinet where my newborn daughter lay. She was tiny. Very tiny. She was the length of my two hands and probably weighed no more than five pounds. Tubes were attached to her and her chest was mechanically moving up and down with the vent. “She’s so small.”

“But she’s a fighter,” Dr. Gionardi smiled. “Do you have a name for her?”

“Bella was convinced that we were having a boy. We only have boy’s names chosen,” I said, reaching my hand through the holes. Gently, I caressed my baby’s hand and she gripped my fingertip with amazing strength. “Wow, she’s got a grip.”

“She’s a fighter.”

“Charlotte,” I replied. “One of the names we were thinking about was Charles, in honor of Bella’s father. Charlotte should be her name. It can be changed, though, right? If Bella gets…”

“We won’t fill out the birth certificate yet. It’ll be nice to call her something other than ‘Baby Girl Cullen,’” Dr. Gionardi explained. “I’ll come get you in an hour.” She rolled a stool next to the bassinet and encouraged me to sit. Staring at the tiny baby in this scary room, I relished in her strong grip on my finger. I was never one to believe in God or prayer, but I prayed for the first time for my Charlotte.

My baby, Charlotte.

xx DLP xx

**BPOV**

I felt like I had been run over. My entire body was in pain. My head was woozy and I just felt _off._ Blinking a few times, it took me a while to realize that I was not at home. Blinking a few more times, trying to shake out the cobwebs, I slowly realized that I was in a hospital room. Looking around, I saw my father snoring loudly on the recliner.

_My baby._

Panicked, my hands flew to my stomach and it was not as hard as it was. _Did I lose my baby?_ Tears quickly formed and alarms went off. Charlie woke up, reaching for my hands. “ _Principessa?_ ” he croaked.

“Daddy? My baby? What happened?” I asked, my mind a muddled, garbled mess. “Where’s Edward? Bethy?”

“Bella, calm down, baby girl,” Charlie soothed. “Everything’s okay.”

“Tell me everything, Dad,” I said, needing to hear what had happened. I was so confused.

“You were brought here because your blood pressure skyrocketed. Bethy called Edward and then 911. Dr. Gionardi performed an emergency c-section to deliver your baby because if she hadn’t you would have stroked out,” Charlie explained.

“How long have I been out?” I asked.

“You were brought in at two in the afternoon. It’s a little past three in the morning,” Charlie said. “Bethy is at Carlisle and Esme’s. She’s quite upset since she was the one who found you, but Edward calmed her down while we were waiting for the delivery of your baby.”

“My baby? Is he okay?”

“She’s in the NICU. Her lungs weren’t formed, so she’s in the NICU. Dr. Gionardi said that she should be in there for a couple of weeks, but should be fine,” Charlie smiled. “Edward was with her until eight, and then he went home to grab a chance of clothes plus your bags. He should be back in a few minutes.”

“A girl?” I smiled. Charlie nodded. “I was certain we were going to have a boy.” I shifted and my body groaned. “Damn,” I moaned. “I feel like crap.”

“Let me call the nurse. You probably need some more painkillers,” Charlie said, hopping up to leave my room. I closed my eyes, for what I thought was only a minute, but when I opened them again, Edward was sitting next to me, caressing my hand and murmuring under his breath. I moved, the pain not quite as apparent, and it caused my husband to look at me, relief filling his eyes.

“Little One,” he sighed, leaning forward to kiss my lips. “I’m so glad you’re awake.”

“Where’s my dad? What time is it?” I asked, threading our fingers together.

“Your dad is up in the NICU with our daughter. Esme is watching Bethy, but I had breakfast with her before coming back here,” Edward said, kissing my wrist.

“What’s wrong with her? Is she okay?” My heart stammered against my ribs.

“Her lungs weren’t as developed as Dr. Gionardi had hoped. She’s in the NICU, having a vent breathe for her while she’s getting steroids to encourage lung growth. Other than that, she’s really small but resilient. I held her hand for an hour yesterday, Bella, and her grip was shockingly strong.”

“I want to see her,” I said, trying to move.

“Whoa, Bella. Calm down. I almost lost you yesterday,” he said, his green eyes filled sadness.

“What?” I croaked.

“Bella, your blood pressure was really high and…I can’t lose you,” he muttered, tears falling onto his cheeks. “I’m happy that Charlotte is with us, but you’re more important. I can’t raise two little girls without their mother.”

“Charlotte?” I asked. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

“Just wait until Dr. Gionardi checks you out,” Edward said, more tears streaming down his scruffy cheeks. “And the NICU wanted a name for our baby. The top contender was Charles, so I figured Charlotte would be appropriate. We can change it…”

“No, I like it,” I smiled, tugging on Edward’s hand. He caught on, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, holding me in his arms. His embrace was tight and I could feel him trembling. “Are okay, _angelo?_ ”

“Just happy to have you back,” he whispered against my hair. “I had nightmares of being a single father and ruining everything. Bella, I can’t…”

“I’m here, baby,” I soothed. My strong, tattooed, former FBI agent had such a loving heart and his fears were never far away. He tightened his hold on me. “I love you, Edward.”

“I love you, so much,” he said, barely audibile.

“No canoodling in the hospital,” Dr. Gionardi snickered, walking into the room as she knocked. “You’re not supposed to have sex for at least six weeks, possibly longer since you’ve got an incision that needs to heal.”

“Dr. Gionardi, do you have a name of a surgeon? I’d like to…” Edward blushed. “I can’t bear to think that I could have lost her. I want to get a vasectomy.”

“I can give you a name, but don’t do anything rashly, Edward. Not every pregnancy is as dramatic as this,” Dr. Gionardi chided. “Now, let me check you out, Bella. You’re probably anxious to see your newest addition.”

“I have to make sure she’s okay,” I said. She nodded and checked my incision along with my blood pressure. The latter was a little elevated, but in the normal range. After putting on some clothes and changing my pad, Dr. Gionardi got a wheelchair. The three of us went up to the NICU floor. We washed our hands and put protective coverings over our clothes. Edward rolled me to a small enclosed bassinet. Our daughter was so small, but still perfect. Tears sprang in my eyes as I put my hand on the glass.

“You can touch her, Bella,” Edward said, guiding my hand to the holes. I nodded, slipping my hand inside to touch her tiny hand.

“Wow,” I breathed as she gripped my pinky. “I guess I’m no longer you Little One, Edward. She fits the bill.”

“You’ll always be my Little One, _piccolina_ ,” Edward chuckled, kissing my temple. “We’ll figure out a nickname for Charlotte.”

I was released from the hospital a week later, but I stayed in the NICU as long they would let me. When I got home, Bethy clung to me like a limpet, very upset at seeing me collapse. Trying to calm her and my constant worry about Charlotte made me very anxious. I was grateful that Edward was on medical leave because he had helped me more than I could count. I was an emotional wreck from the influx of hormones I was dealing with and along Bethy’s behavior and Charlotte in the NICU, I was a mess.

To put it mildly.

A month after Charlotte’s birth, she was finally released from the hospital. Driving her home, I was a nervous bundle of energy. I was happy that Charlotte was coming home with us but anxious that she would stop breathing in the middle of the night and worried about Bethy’s attitude toward her little sister.

When we told her about me being pregnant, Bethy was indignant and ignored the fact that I was having another child. Now, she was pissed off at Charlotte because, due to her birth, Bethy was traumatized by my fall and trip to the hospital. Edward had suggested that we take Bethy to a counselor. Begrudgingly, I agreed. Bethy still had yet to warm up to the idea of Charlotte. Then again, we hadn’t let her see her sister due to the safety protocols they had in the NICU. Today was the first day that Bethy was going to meet Charlotte Carlie Cullen, also known as Charlie.

I was sitting in the back of Edward’s SUV. He was driving like an old fart back to our home. Normally, I’d give him shit about the driving, but with Charlie’s precarious health, I was grateful for Edward’s protectiveness. He truly was being _il mio protettore._ While he drove us home, I checked Charlie. She was so beautiful and according to my father, her namesake, she looked a lot like me when I was a baby. The only difference between the two of us was her eyes. Charlie had Edward’s bright green eyes but everything else was all me.

After much discussion, I managed to talk Edward down from getting a vasectomy. He was emotional, tired, and scared when he asked Dr. Gionardi. What happened to me was a fluke. I knew I wanted more children. Was I scared? Yes, but I didn’t want to not have any more kids with my husband. It was a few years down the road, but we decided that Edward would keep his manly bits intact. I’d go back on the pill.

“I hope that Bethy takes to Charlie,” Edward murmured from the front seat. “She was not happy when I put her to bed last night. She feels abandoned since we’ve been so busy with Charlie in the NICU.”

“We’ve tried to have time with Bethy. Every day, we’ve done something with her,” I said, caressing Charlie’s soft, pink cheek.

“It’s not the same, Bella. We love both of our girls, but with Charlie’s abrupt arrival and Bethy’s reluctance to accept Charlie, it might be a rough transition,” Edward sighed. “At least, the counselor said that it might.”

“I pray that she’s wrong,” I replied, catching Edward’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He nodded, turning into our neighborhood. Creeping along the quiet streets, Edward pulled into our driveway. Draped along the front of the garage was a banner that said, “Welcome home, Charlie!“ My newborn wouldn’t understand it, but I was grateful all the same. Parking the car, Edward removed the car seat while I hopped out the other side. We walked into the foyer that was filled with all of our friends and family. The only person missing was Bethy. Sue mentioned that Bethy was up in her room, coloring a picture for Charlie. We invited everyone to stay, but the most important introduction needed to be made in Bethy’s room.

We removed our coats and went upstairs to our older daughter’s room. She was sitting at the table, coloring on a blank piece of paper. Edward sat down on one of the small chairs, tucking Bethy’s reddish curls behind her ear. I stood outside, waiting to go in with Charlie. “What are you drawing, Princess?”

“A picture for Charlie,” she whispered, looking at her father. “It’s of our family.” She pushed the picture towards him.

“This is really good, Bethy. Can you tell me who’s who?” he asked sweetly.

“That’s you and Mommy. You’re holding hands because you love each other. This is me, next to you. You’re holding me because I’m your princess,” she said, pointing to the picture. “Mommy’s holding Charlie. You know, because she’s still a baby.” They sat quietly and I could hear Bethy crawl into Edward’s lap. “You and Mommy still love me, right?”

“Bethy, Mommy and I love you very much. You’re such a brave, amazing girl,” Edward cooed, kissing her forehead as he held her to his chest. “You protected Mommy when she got sick and you helped with Charlie’s birth.”

“I was so scared, Daddy,” she muttered, but it sounded muffled. “I’m glad that Mommy and Charlie are okay.”

“Do you want to meet your baby sister?” Edward questioned.

“Do you think she’ll like me?” Bethy asked.

“I think she’ll love you. What’s not to love?” Edward chuckled. I walked in, carrying Charlie in her carrier. Bethy watched with rapt attention as I placed the carrier onto the table. She wouldn’t move closer, but her green eyes were glued to the pink bundle I was extracting from the car seat. Sitting down on Bethy’s bed, I cradled Charlie. Bethy looked up at Edward, the question clear on her face. “Go on, Princess. Charlie wants to meet you, too.”

Bethy climbed off Edward’s lap and looked at her sister that I held in my arms. Charlie was still very small. She weighed a little over seven pounds. Bethy gasped quietly. “She’s so little,” she whispered. “Will she get bigger?”

“She’s already gotten bigger,” I answered, angling Charlie so Bethy could get a better view. “She was much smaller when she was born. That’s why she stayed in the hospital for so long.”

“Charlie’s fine now, right?” Bethy asked, her brow furrowed.

“As far as we know,” I said, watching as Bethy clambered carefully onto the bed. The doctors said that she may be prone to upper respiratory infections or asthma, but only time would indicate if their hypothesis was correct. “Do you want to hold her, Bethy?”

She bit her lip, nodding tentatively. I instructed her to lie back against her pillows and hold her legs straight out. Once she was settled, I carefully placed Charlie into Bethy’s arms. Charlie whimpered, confused as to why she was being jostled. I crawled to set next to Bethy while Edward perched himself on the other side of our daughters. “Hi, Charlie,” she said quietly, staring at her little sister. “I’m Bethy. Can you say Bethy?”

“Not for a while, sweetheart,” Edward chuckled, wrapping his arm around Bethy’s shoulders. Our fingers latched and we continued to watch.

“It’s going to be your first word. I guarantee it,” Bethy giggled. Charlie’s eyes opened and she smirked crookedly. “Mommy! She’s smiling.” Edward and I shared a look. We both knew it was just gas, but it was okay. Bethy was bonding with her little sister. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted a sister. When Mommy and Daddy told me, I was mad. Kind of. More afraid, than anything. I didn’t want to share them. Mommy and Daddy are the best, Charlie. Daddy is so smart and funny and can sound like Flynn Rider from _Tangled_. He kind of looks like him, too. Mommy is pretty, smiles all the time, tells the best stories, and she loves me. Loves both of us. So does Daddy.

“Charlie, I love you. I’m sorry that I didn’t want you, but you’re so adorable. I promise to be the best big sister ever. We can share clothes, talk about boys, play soccer together, read books, and have fun,” she smiled.

“Boys?” Edward scoffed. “You’re seven, Princess.”

“Boys are cute, Daddy,” Bethy giggled. Edward groaned. “Daddy calls me his princess, Charlie. I think I can share that with you. Do you want to be Daddy’s Little Princess with me?” Charlie gurgled in response, her hands flapping. “She does! Can we both be your princesses?”

“You already are,” Edward said softly. He captured my eyes, mouthing that he loved me before kissing Bethy’s forehead. “You both are Daddy’s little princesses.”

_Fin_

 


End file.
